It's a new era dawning for Hagerstown Suns From Orioles to Jays, Double-A to Single-A

April 08, 1993|By Kent Baker | Kent Baker,Staff Writer

For the first time since Hagerstown regained minor-league baseball 13 seasons ago, there will be no ties with the Orioles.

When the Suns open the Single-A South Atlantic League season tonight at Municipal Stadium, Sunny, the team mascot, will be bedecked in Toronto Blue Jays blue.

The opponent, the Albany (Ga.) Polecats, will be wearing the Orioles' black and orange.

It is a notable shift for Hagerstown, which had been affiliated with the Orioles since 1981, but lost its Double-A Eastern League team when owner Peter Kirk decided not to invest the money necessary to bring the old stadium up to the Double-A standards imposed by Major League Baseball.

Now, the Double-A franchise is awaiting the construction of a new park in Bowie. As the Bowie Baysox, the team is playing this season at Memorial Stadium, abandoned by the Orioles.

Meanwhile, Hagerstown is making do.

"Our dealings with the Blue Jays have been wonderful, first-class all the way," said Suns general manager Bob Miller.

Already, about $500,000 has been invested in stadium improvements to conform to Single-A requirements.

"Of that, 90 percent is in the clubhouse areas," said Miller. "They've been enlarged, there is a brand new umpires room and complete offices in the clubhouse."

Men's and women's restrooms also have been improved and a picnic area added.

The bullpen, which was adjacent the old clubhouse, has been moved to center field and the outfield wall in right and right-center has been moved in five feet but has an 8-foot fence.

Last season, the Suns hit only 11 home runs in their own park, by far the league low, and 32 overall. This season, it will be easier for their sluggers -- except in left-center and center field over the blue wall.

"Death Valley," said Don Buford, the Suns manager in 1992, of that terrority. His club had more triples (33) than homers (32) overall.

"There were a dozen homers hit in the first workout," said Miller.

The Blue Jays' affiliate will be managed by former major-leaguer Jim Nettles with another former major-leaguer, Leroy Stanton, as the batting coach.

Leading the assault on the right-field fence should be D. J. Boston, a 6-foot-7 first baseman.

Miller is not sure how the team will draw without the Oriole connection.

A poor season (59-80) and the announcement that the franchise was moving doomed Hagerstown to about a 2,000-per game average last summer.

"The threat of having come close to losing baseball altogether may help us," said Miller. "Ads and tickets have gone well. I'd be surprised if we don't bring in 150,000 this season."